Tuesday, March 21, 2017

How Darwin is perceived

Hartmann explores how Darwin is perceived by progressives and conservatives. For progressives it's survival of the species, for conservatives it's survival of the fittest. Hartmann points out the Darwin only used the phrase conservatives love once, but not in the context they use it. Darwin thought the origin of the species relied on love and cooperation. It was his nephew, Herbert Spencer, that twisted Darwin into the current conservative canard about the fittest deserving their just rewards. And what constituted being the 'fittest' in terms of white, aristocratic superiority that needed eugenics to maintain their purity.